Red Sox soar, and MBTA ridership reaches new heights

Start Date: 12/2/2013

BOSTON – While Big Papi was hitting the cover off the ball, the MBTA was shattering ridership records in October. MBTA ridership for the month when the Red Sox captured another World Series title increased by nearly 3% over October 2012, and totaled 36.228 million passenger trips. “The Sox weren’t the only Boston institution to have a terrific fall,” said MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott. “Our October numbers represent the highest monthly ridership recorded since the beginning of the MBTA.”

And the record breaking didn’t stop there. Average daily ridership for October increased by 4.3% over the same month last year, and totaled 1.382 million passenger trips per weekday. As with the month overall, this is the highest weekday ridership recorded since the MBTA was created in 1964. “This is the closest we’ve ever come to an average daily ridership of 1.4 million passenger trips,” said General Manager Scott. “Ridership on almost all modes increased, with particularly big jumps on the subway and buses.” In October, the Red, Orange, and Blue Lines carried an average of 35,500 more riders a day than the previous October. Buses provided a daily average of 22,100 more passenger trips than October 2012.

“Whether it’s commuting to work or traveling to a Sox game, more and more people are relying on the MBTA,” said General Manager Scott. “This is why investing in public transportation is a critically important part of growing the economy.”

In 2009, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was created to unify the state’s various transportation agencies. MassDOT now includes the Highway division, the MBTA and Mass Transit, Aeronautics, and the Registry of Motor Vehicles. MassDOT is committed to providing a safe and reliable transportation system to all those who travel in the Commonwealth and works to deliver excellent customer service. MassDOT has been nationally recognized for its innovative approach to transportation, including the Accelerated Bridge Program, the “Where’s My Bus and Train?” apps and “Fast 14” work. For more information, visit MassDOT at our website: www.mass.gov/massdot.